


Walk Slowly Down That Road

by Shunters



Category: Ghosts (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Family, Gen, Gun Violence, How Do I Tag This, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Original Trans Character - Freeform, Pre World War II, Pre-Canon, Pre-Season/Series 01, Season/Series 01, Soldiers, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Violence, War, World War I, no beta we die like the captain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-11-23 15:13:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20894138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shunters/pseuds/Shunters
Summary: 1917: Two brothers, Arthur and a certain Captain before he's a captain, cross No Man's Land to charge the enemy.Modern Day: In an old, decrepit mansion, a woman and her husband reach out to the spirits which dwell on their land. But, in a twist of fate, a ritual to summon a ghost brings something new into their lives. And returns something lost for someone else.





	1. No Man's Land

**Author's Note:**

> So, this chapter is inspired by the prompt '4, Battle/Fight' and is much shorter than chapter 2, which was inspired by '22, Reunited'. Most of y'all are from the Ghiscord, so y'all probably have heard my and Megs' headcanon when it comes to the Cap's family and his name. If you're not on the Ghiscord, then yes, the Cap is called Theodore in our HC, but you'll have to wait until I write more fics to get the background of the Cap's fam. 
> 
> On a different note, I don't think this is very historically accurate, so I apologise for that. Feel free to drop me a comment on ways to make it more accurate! :)
> 
> And, as is typical for my work, the fic is best read with mobile formatting.

Today was the day.

Today was the day they charged No Man’s Land, bloody feet in blooded boots as they ran, fear- of the enemy and their masters- making their hearts pound faster and faster, fighting to be heard over the rifle fire and screams of the dying.

Today was the day they fought for victory. Today was the day they beat the enemy and _won_, in the name of the King and Country.

That was what their Generals told them, at least.

Arthur, for his part, had lost sight of the reasoning behind this war.

But he had his orders. And, young as he may be, he still held his sense of duty like a shield across his chest. He would do what was right because it was _the right thing to do. _

But that was neither here nor there, he thought as he ran, feet numb from blisters and the cold. He followed behind his brothers-and-secret-sisters-in-arms, in raw-seamed khakis, his sweat heavy as it dripped from him, encountering the odd flea or louse along the way.

They stumbled through the ruined field, dirt thrown about by weapons of death and a fog thick in the air. They ran. Towards the enemy’s barricade, the filthy sandbags and grimy metal sheets which dazzled with gunfire. The familiar sound of war echoed around him, bullets cracking against the air, everything amplified by the shortening distance between the two warring sides.

Arthur jumped over a clump of dirt and grass, rifle pointed firmly forward, as though an extension of himself. He scanned the field in front of him. The fog hung thick in the early morning air. He could hardly see the enemy. But they could hardly see him either.

He stopped to fire, half blinded by the weather. He would never know if he hit his mark, would never be certain exactly how many men he’d killed. That was the cruel, cold hand which fate gave to those at war. He felt like he would never be certain of anything again.

Then shots slashed at the earth beside him.

Arthur threw himself onto the ground, instinctively looking behind him to search for his younger (by a few minutes) brother. He felt a moment of pure, unadulterated panic when he couldn’t immediately find Theo.

His brother was not behind him, as he was when they’d left.

Arthur’s gaze snapped back to their destination, desperately scanning the field in front of him for any sign of his brother. (Theo couldn’t be _dead_, he just _couldn’t_).

Recklessly, like the brave hearted badger which his family always accused him of being, Arthur stood up.

“Theo!” he shouted, voice ringing out in the high pitched tone which he _loathed_ with every fibre of his being. “Theodore!” His rifle was still clutched in chilled hands, raised at chest height and ready to be fired. Even in such a time, his training was ingrained too deeply to ignore completely.

His wide, blue eyes darted frantically around the battleground, scrambling to find anything- _anything_\- which might point to his brother still being alive.

He turned in a full circle, heart beating painfully against his ribs, before he spotted it.

His brother, laying face-down in the dirt.

He stumbled forward, a painful, wrecked cry of his brother’s name dying on his lips as he ran. Ran, like a man who’s jumped up in the dark and listens between footfalls for the reason of his still running.

For his _brother_.

“Please, no, please, don’t be dead, don’t be dead,” Arthur chanted in a frantic whisper beneath his breath, lungs tight, caught in the vice of his panic.

He crashed to his knees beside the body, placed a hand on its shoulder, and-

“Gwe- Arthur, what are you doing?!” a voiced hissed at him and the air was punched from his body in a shaky exhale.

It was his brother’s voice.

Arthur turned, drinking in the sight of his very much _alive_ brother with great happiness, tears of pure relief gathering in his eyes at the sight before him.

“Theo,” he breathed out, still staring up from his crouched position on the floor. “I thought you were- I thought he was you.”

Theo frowned, in such a way that most would perceive him to be angry, but Arthur knew better. His brother was not enraged, rather he was concerned for Arthur.

“What,” he asked, shaking his head, “what are you-“ Theo followed Arthur’s gesture and Arthur could tell the moment his brother realised.

Yes, the resemblance really was uncanny.

“Oh, I see,” Theodore muttered quietly, then swallowed and turned back to his brother. “Buck up now, Little Badger, now is no time to hang about.”

Arthur stood, walking bravely backwards from his previous spot. “Who is it that’s ‘hanging about’ now, you Walrus?” he chuckled as he watched his brother observe his bold steps with horror.

Theo jogged up to his side. “Turn around, you mad man, you must never show your back to the enemy!”

Arthur turned back around with a short laugh. It was strange, to find humour in a place such as this, but that was the life of a solider in the Great War.

The brothers continued on in silence, serious once again as they charged toward their probable deaths. They’d both been in the war for two, almost three, years now. That was a long time for a soldier in 1917.


	2. You'll Hear Me Call Your Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A seance produces unexpected results and the Captain is reunited with someone from his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains misgendering and some use of a deadname. It is not malicious, but the pov character is unaware of the trans character being trans and is, thus, unaware of his pronouns. The next chapter should deal with the trans man coming out and correct pronouns will be used from then on. As a trans person myself, I am fully aware of how harmful misgendering and deadnaming can be, so I’m not doing this to be a dick. I wanted to do this scene from the Captain’s pov but that required me to work with the knowledge he has. 
> 
> Now on to less sensitive topics: I mention many different techniques to summon and communicate with ghosts in this chapter and describe one using the steps I found. I have no idea if any of them are accurate or if they work or if they’re even used. I apologise if they’re not correct, feel free to drop me a comment mentioning the right methods of you want to :)

“What is it you’re trying to accomplish by this, hm?” the Captain asked Alison as she set up the candles.

“I told you, I’m tired of trying to draw you guys or parrot what you’re saying so Mike can know what you look like or what you’re saying,” Alison replied, “so I’m going to try different methods to summon you guys so Mike can see you or speak to you.” 

“This is ridiculous,” the Captain told her, “we cannot be  _ summoned _ , we know this because many people have tried before you, Alison.” 

“So you keep telling me,” she replied with an exasperated sigh, “but I think it could be different since I can already see you.” 

“I refuse to take part in such blatant tomfoolery.” 

“Well, I’ve already tried the Ouija board with Pat, the crystal ball with Robin, a white candle with Kitty, a mirror with Mary, a blood offering with Fanny, a Planchette for Thomas, and the quartz crystals with Julian. It’s just you, Humphrey, and the plague ghosts left. Humphrey can’t find his head,” she frowned in confusion, “or his body can’t find him- whatever, the point is everyone else has had a go, the plague ghosts are happy to be left in the basement and Humphrey isn’t here. So you’re my only option now. Please, Captain?” 

Cap stared at her for a long time, weighing his options carefully with a furrowed brow. Finally, he sighed. 

“Fine, but only upon the condition that I get another two hours of the television to myself this week to watch that program on Hitler.” 

Alison grinned. “Done.” 

“Did he say yes?” Mike asked, looking around the room as he was wont to do when searching for the ghosts. 

“Yup, we’re all good to go.” 

“Ok, so what do I do again?” 

“First, Cap takes his place,” Alison said and motioned for the Captain to step into the middle of the ring of five green candles. “Then, Mike, you light the candles. Good, now burn a rose petal in each candle. Ok, and now prick your finger.” Mike looked at the needle with an apprehensive grimace. “Oh don’t be such a baby, Mike, I did it to try and summon Fanny.” 

“Are you sure I need to do the blood bit?” Mike asked. 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, I suppose,” Alison agreed with a soft smile, “I don’t know what’ll happen either way.” 

Mike thought for a moment, before shrugging. “I guess if we’re gonna do this, we should do it properly.” 

Once her husband was done dripping blood onto each of the candles, Alison motioned for him to say his line. 

“God of my world and the next lend me your sight, give the power to see things that give people fright, too long have they been trapped in the dark but now let them into the light.” 

They weren’t really the ones trapped in the dark, the Captain thought as Micheal began putting out the candles with lemon juice. What he wouldn’t give to see his family again. 

As the last flame died, a ghostly wind swept through the room, moving nothing on the mortal plane, but chilling the Captain to the bone. 

The lights flickered and fizzed out, though Robin had clearly not done it. The windows rattled ominously and the Captain automatically took a hesitant step backward, foot passing through one of the candles. 

Smoke gathered in his place, swirling around between the candles and creating a vortex that was near thick enough to choke a ghost. Smacks of thunder accompanied flashes of lightning outside and the windows were finally thrown open, curtains flying in the harsh wind and rain. 

As suddenly as it all started, everything stilled. 

The windows were open, but the floor was dry. The smoke dissipated to nothing. The lights flicked on between one blink and the next. Everything was normal. 

Except there was a new person in the room. A new ghost. 

The Captain distantly recognised Mike swearing at the sudden appearance, but he was distracted by the familiar uniformed back. 

A short, slim person with messy brown hair that was half hidden by a filthy and crooked hat. Threadbare, half destroyed boots barely covered the person’s cotton-clad feet. A rifle was clutched by their side, held by an all too familiar long-fingered hand with all too familiar gloves. A large patch of red blood soaked the back of the person’s coat, and the Captain knew there would be more of it on their front. 

“Guinevere,” he heard himself choke out as the person turned their head and their profile was revealed to him. 

Quick as a bullet- _the_ bullet \- the new comer had turned around. 

Her eyes widened as she caught sight of him. “Theo? Where, where are we?” she asked as she glanced around. “How did I get here?” Gwen looked back at him, properly this time, and she was forced back a step from her shock. “ _Why_ do you look like father?” 

Theo was in shock himself. It had been one hundred and two long,  _painful_ years since he’d last seen his twin sister. His face was stuck twisted into an image of pain and grief that echoed what he’d felt all those years ago. Tears leaked from the corner of his eyes and he took a hesitant step forward. 

“Theo?” Gwen asked quietly, eyebrows lowered in familiar concern. 

That one, singular sound broke his resolve and Theo leapt forward, swagger stick falling, forgotten, to the ground with a silent clatter, as the soldier pulled his sister into a crushing hug. 

He could tell that his sister was confused by his behaviour. He had never exactly been the most affectionate sibling. But this was his twin, the person to whom he had once been the closest. 

He could hear the other ghosts around him, asking questions and sputtering astounded noises. But, as he buried his half-sobs into his sister’s shoulder and pulled her ever closer, Theo found he didn’t care what they thought. 

Quietly and respectfully, Pat began to usher everyone out of the room. “They clearly need a minute,” he explained. 

When everyone was gone and the door shut behind them with a gentle thump, Gwen squeezed him tightly before starting to ask her questions. 

“Theo-” she began. 

“I’ll explain,” the Captain told her, pulling himself together somewhat, “just.. just give me a moment, Badger.” 

“Okay,” Gwen replied, quiet and soft like she always had been when he was upset. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, hopefully I can get the next instalment up soon :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please do drop me a kudos and/or comment if you liked the fic or have any feedback :)


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